Better
by DarkAngelOfSorrowReturns
Summary: She and Raf were just friends, but when no one was around that could possibly change. Will they let it? What was going to be the better choice? Written for ChristmasInJuly19 on The Melting Pot!
1. Better

Note: Things are potentially canonical up until episode 13. Everyone may seem OOC, but hopefully I kept it as true as I could without deriving from their characterizations! Things were adjusted to make a little sense for the setting, so bear with me :P Prompts were Hope/Rafael, New Orleans, Sunburn.

Any mistakes are my own.

* * *

_"I know what I am now, Hope. It's all I ever wanted to know besides any piece of information I could about my mom. Something you tried to _keep _from me." _

_"I was trying to protect you because I care for you, Landon! What was I supposed to do?" _

_"Tell me the truth!" _

_"Even when the truth hurt you the first time? She tried to leave you _again _and made you forget her existence in the first place." _

_"...I think I heard Professor Dorian calling for me." _

_"Landon, wai—"_

_"I...I'm going to need space for a while, okay? I need you to respect that." _

A tanned hand waved in front of Hope's face, thankfully pulling her away from her thoughts. She shook her head and blinked, her vision clearing as the tall guy stood over her.

"Earth to Hope Mikaelson," he said in a light teasing tone. "I know the heat doesn't really bother us, but that doesn't mean our skin won't catch a bad tan or sunburn."

The comment made Hope snort easily. "Please, Raf. The last thing I'm worried about is a sunburn," she replied.

"Yeah, you need the sun, don't you?"

"You know I can spell you into a toad, right?"

Rafael held his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'm not the one spacing out instead of doing my job."

Hope sighed and rolled her eyes in response as Rafael patted her back and shuffled towards a spot in the distance.

She couldn't help but space out like she had. It's been weeks since that fateful conversation with Landon and the pageant, and he barely said a word to her. After Penelope ousted her—not without Hope informing Dr. Saltzman just _how _Penelope managed to oust her in the first place—and Lizzie had taken it upon herself to make herself acquainted with the next extraordinary species the school had ever seen, Landon barely looked the brunette in the eye. It pissed her off and hurt her simultaneously. She thought they could make something between them work, even when he constantly threw out warning signs that he would be like the other boys going to Mystic Falls High; apparently needed space meant a lot more than taking a day or two to forgive a person.

Landon's distancing wasn't just affecting Hope, either. Rafael received the awkward 'I still love you, bro, but I'm kind of mad at you too' vibes from the newfound phoenix. Hope had a feeling it would happen after Rafael stepped in as her dance partner every time Landon bailed after getting upset. Rafael was her friend and his brother, and it wasn't like they hadn't danced together before. It shouldn't have been a problem, right?

Wrong.

The werewolf was honest and told Landon that he was on Hope's side once he heard the full story. He didn't believe Hope was right in lying to Landon, but he knew about the lying and didn't tell Landon beforehand. Landon hit Raf with the Bro Card which hurt the wolf more than he'd like to admit to Hope.

Hope saw it though, and it sucked.

Summer Break arrived quicker than Hope would have liked, and with the nonsense of Malivore tucked away safely with the remaining objects in a land far, far away—courtesy of the last known living Bennett—Hope didn't know what she was going to do. She didn't want to spend it with the headmaster and his daughters; Lizzie made sure the Hope knew that she couldn't 'ruin' another vacation for the family.

Landon made it known that he was going to hang with Kaleb and M.G. to write songs and bond over a bonfire. Rafael was extended the invitation to join the boys, but Hope heard him mention to Dr. Saltzman that Cassie wanted him to see some 'inspirational' paintings somewhere out of town when he had the chance; Hope wasn't entirely focused on the specific names of the paintings because hearing Raf mention Cassie singed her heart for some reason. All she could picture was his pain and anguish as he hugged Cassie after her resurrection by the Necromancer.

She felt the heavy guilt when she wasn't there for him when Cassie returned to the land of the dead, but she chalked that up to Raf growing into one of the people she allowed in her tight, _tight _circle. But that burning sensation couldn't be brushed off; Hope just wished she knew what it was.

Anyway, Hope managed to finesse the information out of Dr. Saltzman that the paintings that Rafael mentioned were in New Orleans; they were paintings that her father had contributed to the French Quarter. God, the amount of demanding it took for her to make the headmaster spit out the information almost exhausted her before her mind formed her plan.

The tribrid missed her parents dearly, and after the fire that took away the art she shared with her father, she didn't like mentioning them or bringing them up to anyone. Yet she found herself ready to volunteer as tribute to show the young werewolf to and around NOLA like a tour guide.

She surprised everyone when it happened, even herself, but she wouldn't back out when the third of their Awesome Trio—she had to dub them something similar to the Avengers Squad—was being completely unreasonable. The two of them could go to New Orleans, take in the sights, come back to the school and enjoy the rest of the summer on the school grounds like the good friends they were.

Wrong. _So wrong_.

They were both 18 and old enough at to drive on their own—they had taken Raf's jeep—and with much persistence, they promised to keep in touch with Dr. Saltzman often so he knew they were safe. He knew the supernaturals around the area weren't as 'welcoming' as the aspirations of Mystic Falls tried to be.

* * *

Arriving in New Orleans wasn't difficult. Just longer than Hope remembered it to be. Still, it was good _and_ painful to see the city she grew up in. Well, partially grew up in.

Problem number one happened when the exhibit that featured her father's artwork was closed for the weekend so the workers could prepare for the parades happening the next day.

Problem number two happened when the hotel they were going to stay in somehow was magically booked, and Hope refused to stay in or near the French Quarter. Seeing only Vincent's face once brought a wave of feelings from the tribrid she thought were buried a long time ago.

Problem number three happened when Hope made the consecutive decision for them to stay in the old family mansion on the outskirts of town. She knew it was still under her name, and the rest of the family were building their lives elsewhere.

It was just perfect for the quiet space and peace she needed. Just her and Raf. _Alone_. In a mansion with no one else but the workers.

Hope didn't think twice about it until she settled her bags in her Aunt Rebekah's former chambers. The pristine, chic design was well kept by the paid workers Uncle Kol kept around as maintenance—and for free room and board as Davina was charitable that way. Raf had taken Marcel's old room, claiming it was simple like he liked it for just a weekend. Hope had teased him saying that he should get comfortable and savor the big bed because weekends often flew by.

Stupid jinx. The first weekend of the break turned into a week for the pair in New Orleans. Dr. Saltzman informed them that Mystic Falls was receiving backlash from a hurricane off the coast of Virginia, and the roads were heavily flooded. It was best that they stayed there until things cleared.

More time with Rafael. _Alone_.

She didn't have a problem spending time with Rafael before, but this was different. They weren't surrounded by school priorities and students and teachers. Landon wasn't there. It was only him she had for the company, and it surprised her how much ease she felt communicating with the werewolf like this. Hope hadn't felt this much ease in years.

_"So you like to paint like your dad?" Raf mused as they sat on the ground outside in the open meadows near the mansion. "I don't think I've ever really seen you with a paintbrush in your hand, though." _

_Hope folded her arms and lifted her chin. "There's a lot that I do that people don't know that I do," she countered._

_"True," Raf agreed, "but I think people would recognize the Great Hope Mikaelson's artwork if they saw it." _

_The tribrid narrowed her eyes, a mock offended expression colored her features. "Are you challenging me?" _

_Raf sported a large, wide grin, making a 'bring it on' gesture with his hand. "Show me what you're working with, Leonardo DaMikaelson." _

_It felt so easy to laugh at that cheesy name, and she did. _

Thus bringing things up to speed. She'd made Raf change into something sophisticated so she could paint him next to the mansion. The idea was to make it look like this all belonged to him. He wore a suit similar to the one he wore to the twin's birthday party, but it was darker. He opened his arms with a raised brow, making silly poses that brought more laughter out of the Mikaelson. She made the mistake to think about how she laughed more this week than she had when she was with Landon. Then the flashback conversation. Then the somber moment overwhelming her.

Attempting to focus one more time, Hope adjusted in her lawn chair and gripped her paintbrush to work on her easel.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed for the portrait, but even when he moved around a lot, Rafael had been a good sport and made sure he kept still when she asked him to.

The sun was setting, blending into the purplish-red hues in the sky, when Hope stood up with a stretch, setting her brush down. "Alright, Raf," she said. "Come take a look."

With a light groan, Raf stood up from his position where he was laying on the grass. At some point, Raf had removed his jacket and unbuttoned the first few buttons due to the heat. Hope hadn't paid attention to it because she'd been focusing on the details in the background to make the portrait pop.

He was standing behind her examining the picture, and Hope could smell the grass mixed with the rich scent of his cologne; she hadn't noticed it before and was curious as to why she was picking it up now.

"Wow, Hope," Raf said in awe, "I stand corrected. Your artwork is as badass as your monster hunting."

Hope laughed once again—this had to be a new record—and shook her head. "I don't know about that, but I do know I'm pretty awesome," she replied cheekily.

Raf chuckled deeply. "Seriously, Hope. You really did great in a short time." He glanced down at the portrait and her. "Can I keep it?"

She placed a hand on her hip and tapped her chin. "I don't know, I think I'd have to get compensation for taking out of my busy schedule to paint you."

"Maybe I would compensate you if this wasn't a challenge," he countered.

"But the challenge was accepted and pretty much aced." Hope held her hand out. "Now pay up."

Raf snorted. "I hope hugs are payment enough because that's all I have except for the gas to get back to Mystic Falls," he said.

Hope nodded with a look of amusement. "Yes, I think hugs would suffice," she said. Did she just say that?

He seemed a bit surprised that she allowed it so easily—there were no easy hugs with Hope Mikaelson since the unicorn slugs—but he set the portrait down nonetheless and engulfed Hope in his arms.

Hope closed her eyes instantly, wrapping her arms around Raf's frame. His scent was all over her now, and she didn't mind it. In fact, she didn't mind this position at all. Her heart started to beat faster than before, and she leaned back out of the hug to meet Raf's eyes.

He was showing how grateful he was through the shine in his eyes, despite the lack of sun, and the care she felt through his look increased the nagging thoughts prickling the back of her mind. She was acting on impulse, an impulse she didn't think she'd possess again, and raised her arms so she could cup his face. It would be so easy to see where things would go, and when Hope let her emotions drive her to the dangerous line, Raf stopped her.

Raf held her wrists gently yet firmly enough so he could keep them from his face. "Hope, you know we can't," he whispered.

She gave him an unamused expression. The tribrid was well aware of the bond he and Landon had no matter what, and the noble way that he respected his brother's ex reminded her of her family's loyalty to one another in the end.

Thinking about that gave Hope the reason to be tired of being told what she can and can't do. It wasn't her intention to come between them, but Landon made his choice. She was making hers, and Raf should be free to make one without feeling guilty on his brother's behalf.

"Can't we?" she challenged, tilting her head and giving him a 'try and stop me' look.

His eyes swept over her face, the look of realization registering in them too late before Hope pushed herself up and kissed him.

The werewolf's body went rigid, at first not responding to her advances. It didn't deter her, though, because she expected it. She pulled away, meeting his gaze. Despite his lack of reciprocation, Hope could feel the difference between him and Landon—not that she was going to start comparing them. Maybe. If she could help it anyway.

The fact that his eyes still showed the tribrid a loving nature in contrast to the pained facial expressions let her know that while he was trying to be the bigger, better guy, he couldn't deny his feelings.

_'Since the moment you danced with me.' _

She didn't get it then because of her emotional stance at the time. Now she did. Because sharing these brief moments with Rafael and Rafael alone made her feelings for him sprout into other directions. He made her smile. He made her laugh. He challenged her. He understood her. Why shouldn't she take the leap? She'd done much worse than this in the past.

"You're making this hard for me, you know that?" Raf said finally, his voice rougher than before.

Hope stood her ground. He made her better so far in the week, and she couldn't help but feel that she had done the same. She was going after what she wanted; hang the consequences.

Neither of them moved, their bodies were still close.

"That's funny," she told him, "because you made things better for me." Hope kissed the werewolf again, and after a few seconds, his hands moved to her sides.

She knew that things were going to change after this, especially when they were back at school. They'd cross that bridge when they got there; it was the Hope Mikaelson specialty. Until then, she was making the choice to keep this better night in her memory rather than the lonely ones.


	2. More

Note: this is not much for Landon lovers, sorry!

* * *

The green of the trees blended with the dark shades of gravel as Hope peered through the window. The feeling in the air wasn't tense—she didn't know what to call it—but it could be drawn through with her fingernails.

She spared a glance at Raf in the driver's seat, his eyes focused on the road. While it was rational for him to be doing so, the tribrid couldn't help but think that he wanted to look anywhere but at her.

_Hope gasped as her back hit the wall in Marcel's old room. She didn't know when they'd gotten there, but the moment she felt his fingertips lightly grazing her skin as her shirt was partly lifted, Hope didn't care. _

_Her hands moved on their own, gripping the neckline of his shirt and ripping the material in half._

_Raf leaned back with an eyebrow quirked. "In a rush?"_

_Hope laughed breathlessly, shaking her head. "Saw it on a show once. Throes of passion or something like that."_

_He grinned lopsidedly, pressing himself closer to her person. Hope took advantage of it and felt on his bare upper half. _

"_Guess I better return the favor," Raf said, his voice giving her a chill down her spine. _

Hope tugged lightly at her shirt collar and returned her gaze towards her window as she thought about what happened the night before. She'd been impulsive kissing Raf, but she didn't regret it. Waking up in the werewolf's arms was a feeling that was comforting...welcoming. Not that anything else happened beyond their kisses and holds.

But it was a feeling she craved more.

Hope wanted to know what Raf was thinking. Even when he'd hugged her closer in his sleep—an action that made her _yelp_ by the way—Hope couldn't figure out what he was thinking. The last instance she was aware of when it came to Raf and his 'impulses', Raf had ultimately regretted it but wanted to pretend everything was fine so he didn't hurt Lizzie.

Hope couldn't be another Lizzie situation.

The only thing stopping Hope from waking and confronting Rafael was Dr. Saltzman calling them to inform them that things were clear enough to return. Aka, their summer break in New Orleans was over, and they needed to return to the school as soon as possible.

So Hope found herself waking and informing Rafael that they had to get ready to leave. His response was to hide his head under the pillow with a groan and reply, "I need a few more weeks first." She couldn't have agreed more.

He'd been quiet moving around to prepare to leave, running his hand over his head with a thoughtful expression on his face. Whether that was a good or bad sign was undetermined, and it drove Hope crazy.

Tapping on the side of the door, Hope looked at Raf again; it was now or never, a bridge she was not looking forward to facing.

"Raf," Hope started. "We'll be back to school soon."

He sighed and drummed at the steering wheel; it was clear he knew what she was referring to.

"Yeah," Raf said finally. "I know."

Hope tilted her head a little. "So…"

While she had gotten under the 'I don't care what anyone thinks' mentality, she couldn't deny that Landon had hurt her and this would hurt him in return. He was an ass for how he reacted to things, but it didn't mean they were completely heartless. No doubt the Alpha of the school pack would be dubbed as a girl stealer despite their best efforts.

"I…" Raf shook his head lightly. "I'm not sorry for what we did, but this isn't how I pictured things going. I mean, Landon he's…"

Hope rubbed her forehead. "Yeah, I got it."

He spared her a quick glance before focusing on the road. "What do you want to do?"

She wasn't sure how she wanted to answer the question now that they weren't going to be alone in a few hours.

* * *

They walked side by side through the front doors of the school, only to stop a few steps past the entrance.

Hope and Raf looked at each other at the same time, laughing softly at the action. She tucked some of her hair behind her ear.

"So, I'll see you later?" she said.

Of course, she still hadn't answered the question he gave her, but Raf still gave her a smile and nodded.

"I'll see you later," he replied.

When she went in for a hug, she stopped herself. One second longer in the embrace, and she just might forget where she was and set off the catastrophe worse than Malivore. So much for hanging the consequences.

Raf noticed, but instead of letting it be awkward, he squeezed her shoulder comfortingly and pulled her closer to his side for a split second. No sooner than that, he pulled away and headed down the corridor towards the rooms.

Hope stood there a moment longer to take a deep breath and appear unaffected to those around her. She had a lot to think about without people asking questions.

* * *

Apparently, she didn't try hard enough. It'd been a few days since she and Raf had returned from their summer vacation, and the school hadn't officially started yet so Hope decided while she couldn't give the werewolf an answer to his question, she could get ahead of the schoolwork coming their way.

He didn't say anything, but Hope knew that sooner or later Raf might break. They were pretending that they hadn't kissed and cuddled in front of people that were their friends, and it was so easy to make the wrong move when she was so comfortable with him. It wasn't like the awkwardness she felt with Landon, yet she knew guilt was eating at Raf not saying anything.

And despite their attempts, Hope came to realize that their attempts were too perfect. She was heading for the library when she almost walked in on a conversation about her.

"I hope that Hope's okay after taking that trip," a light voice said. "She's been more quiet than reclusive since she's been back."

Hope paused when she heard the voice in the library clearer, and she moved closer to the wall so she could have a view. She wouldn't have cared if she hadn't have heard her name. The tribrid saw Kaleb sitting on top of one of the desks next to Josie while Landon was across from her with Lizzie awfully close at his side.

'_Fitting right in now that he was keeping his distance from me,'_ Hope thought, a smidge of bitter laced in her feelings.

"Maybe Raf knows," Josie suggested.

Kaleb placed a hand on his knee and chuckled. "Oh yeah, I'm sure he does."

Landon snapped his head in Kaleb's direction. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Think about it, man," Kaleb said. "You've got two people who spend more than enough time together only for one of them to come back _quieter, _not meaner. What do you think?"

Hope wouldn't admit it to his face anytime soon, but Kaleb was definitely smart. She went back to focusing on the conversation to see where it would go.

Lizzie scoffed. "As if. No one in their right mind would do anything with Hope Mikaelson," she said. The other three stared at her with blank looks, and Lizzie rolled her eyes and smiled sweetly. "You weren't in your right mind, Landie. Now you've seen the light and been reborn. Literally."

The tribrid narrowed her eyes at the twin. She could spell her mouth shut easily.

"Better not," Landon said gruffly, his face twisting. "She's off-limits."

Kaleb rubbed his hands together. "Is she now? Even though you're obviously appreciating someone else's company." His eyes shifted towards Lizzie. "And said company is just mad your boy doesn't wanna sleep with her again."

Josie covered her mouth to avoid laughing out loud as Lizzie bristled. Neither Lizzie nor Landon responded for a second before Landon shook his head quickly.

"It doesn't matter what I'm doing now. She made the mistake and _I_ broke up with _her_. Everyone knows that means she's untouchable."

The vampire looked at Landon incredulously. "First of all, you're crazy to think Madam Badass isn't going to do what she wants and with who she wants while you're being an asshole. Second of all, please don't tell me you learned that from the Mystic Falls Idiots," he said before looking down with a hand up. "So, you're saying Hope is off-limits to anyone as long as you're around," he clarified, his hand making a gesture in front of him once he looked back at the others. "That means that she can go on another trip to get her groove back."

"No," Landon said dramatically, his pale skin darkening in shades of red. "I'm saying that Hope is off-limits to anyone like Raf and Roman."

There was a laugh of disbelief from Josie. "Seems a bit unfair don't you think?"

The phoenix shook his head. "No, I don't think that. Roman is an idiot that got her mom killed, and Raf knows better because we're family. You don't go with your family's exes."

Hope felt another pang of anger surge through her when he mentioned her mother like that. While she wanted to snap at him, she was pleased to see Josie do it.

Josie raised a brow and lowered her chin skeptically. "Even if your family is the one that broke up with the ex because they were trying to protect you?"

"_Lied_, not protect. Whose side are you on?" Landon demanded.

"I'm not on anyone's side," Josie argued. "I just...don't see where it's fair to think that way."

Lizzie's hand drifted down Landon's shoulder, a confident tilt of her head. "He's a phoenix. He can think whatever he wants to cause he'll come back if you tried to kill him for it."

Landon glanced up at Lizzie, not moving the blonde's hand. "That's not comforting at all, Lizzie."

She simply shrugged as Kaleb and Josie looked at one another with frowns.

Hope was sure there was going to be more said, but she didn't care. She'd heard enough of what Lizzie and Landon thought, and she was pissed.

* * *

It didn't take her long to find Raf in his room, and she marched until she was a good distance away from the werewolf.

He watched her quizzically, but it was obvious he knew she was not happy and meant business. "What happened?" he asked.

Hope folded her arms, kicking the door closed behind her with her boot. She bit back her first response; it wouldn't do them good if two irritated wolves were on the loose. "What are we doing?"

Raf's brows furrowed. "What do you mean, Hope?"

"This!" she exclaimed, gesturing between them. "What are we doing? We can't keep this up, Raf."

"Hope, you know what I want," he replied, taking a step towards her. "You know what I _shouldn't _want. You're the one that didn't answer the question when we first got back. So I ask you now and again, what do _you _want?"

She opened her mouth but closed it; he was right, and he wasn't afraid to tell her that. One of the reasons she wanted this. If she could admit that to herself, then she could tell him. He'd made things better when

"I want…" Hope started, slapping her hands at her sides. "I want more than this, Raf! I can't pretend that I don't feel something more with you after everything." She began to pace in front of him. "We _kissed_. Full, heated lip-locking session. I never thought I'd _ever_ let a guy hold me at night yet with you—"

Rafael had stepped closer and gripped Hope's arms gingerly. "And you're sure about this." He didn't want things to backfire with their friendship they'd developed. "What about—"

She snatched her arms away exasperatedly; she had gained her nerve and intended on using it, even if she didn't know what he was going to actually say. "I don't care anymore! To hell with anyone who can't grow up." Her mind instantly going to a certain dark-haired boy with phoenix feathers shoved up his butt. She ran a hand through her hair to calm herself down just thinking about what she'd heard him say. "I just have to know that you think it's worth it."

He was fighting with himself, she knew, but she meant what she said; she didn't care anymore. Not after what she'd heard. Rafael had no clue, and she couldn't say anything until she knew where they stood; she had to disprove those thoughts.

The werewolf reached for Hope's arms again, and she let him take her arms and draw her closer to his person. He was mouthing words to himself that Hope couldn't figure out before leaning down to kiss Hope suddenly.

It only lasted a second, but it felt like it had been longer to Hope. When he pulled away, Raf stared at her intently.

"I _really _don't like the circumstances," he said, "but it _was _worth it." His thumb rubbed against her arm. "_You _are worth it." Raf smiled softly. "I'm glad to know you, Hope Mikaelson."

Hope released a breath and laugh she didn't realize she was holding before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing Rafael again.

More was all Hope wanted from this, that feeling solidified by the knowledge she possessed from Landon and the others. This would get out eventually, and Hope would like to think she'd be ready for it with Raf by her side to tell anyone who had something to say exactly where they could shove it.

Eventually turned out to be sooner than she thought; the door hadn't been closed all the way, and certain things had been caught by wandering ears.

* * *

A/N: I'll try adding more soon, but I won't make any promises. Whenever the writing mojo bug comes my way!

Word Count: 2,316


	3. Strong

A/N: I did it! This is from Rafael's point of view, so I'm sorry if anything is majorly out of place!

* * *

Raf stared at the portrait hanging on the wall next to his bed. The next morning had come quicker than he'd have wanted. If he had the option, Raf would have stayed in the moment from the night before for as long as he could.

_He and Hope were talking and sitting side by side on the floor against his bedpost. Even though having her in his arms felt so right, this was their thing. It felt just as special and intimate as the other stuff. _

_She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he took her hand in his. Their actions were so simple, yet he couldn't be happier._

_"This is nice," Hope said._

_"Yeah," Raf replied, "is it." _

_Hope sighed and shifted her head on his shoulder so their eyes would meet. Her smile was somber; Raf wasn't sure if it was dread or anger simmering in his chest._

_"It might not be after I tell you something." She squeezes his fingers, and he felt reassured that it wasn't something between them. _

_Nothing to feel dreadful for. _

_"There was a reason I arrived as angry as I was," Hope began to say. "Admittedly, I wasn't going to tell you...but, you know, I learned the hard way about honesty in relationships." _

_Anger it was. _

What he was told did make him mad, but ultimately his emotions pulled him at all sides. As a brother, it hurt him to know Landon was going to be that selfish. It wasn't right for Hope to keep the secret, but her reasons came from the heart. Raf was stubborn, but even he wouldn't have stayed mad at her for long just because his feelings for her were stronger than that.

It was that realization alone that kept Raf from finding Landon and saying something.

_"I shouldn't have said anything," Hope said, shaking her head quickly. "I'm s—"_

_Raf twisted his body so he was facing her, and he took both of her hands. _

_"Please don't say you're sorry," he said. "You don't have anything to be sorry for when it comes to us." Raf shrugged lightly as he swallowed the irritation bubbling in his chest. "Besides, isn't one of your favorite pastimes proving people wrong?"_

_He hoped he came off as teasing, and he felt relieved when the corners of Hope's lips curved up. _

_"Referring to the multiple times I beat you in the gym?" _

_He snorted. "Please. I let you win."_

_Her brow quirked. "Is that a challenge?"_

_"Think you can handle that?"_

Raf smiled fondly as he thought about the short punch and dodge dance between them. It ended in them both on the floor laughing. Seeing that shine in her eyes made it so worth it, especially with the sucky reality around them.

"You're up early," came a groggy voice behind Raf.

Hearing the voice made Raf's jaw clench involuntarily, and he had to mentally fight himself. Landon was his brother, but Hope basically had his heart at this point. He had to handle things the best way he could with the least amount of complications.

"I had an early night," Raf replied, glancing over his shoulder at Landon. He was sitting on the side of the bed, rubbing his eyes with a yawn.

He was telling the truth; after Hope left, Rafael didn't take the chance of seeing Landon with his aggravation fresh on the brain. He had lain in his bed with a grin until sleep overtook him.

"Right…" Landon scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I noticed after I came back from hanging with the twins…"

Rafael gave Landon a look. "Both twins, huh?"

Landon flushed and coughed nervously. "It wasn't anything like that," he said.

'_I know. I know exactly what it was like,_' Raf thought, that irritating tick resurfacing quickly. It pained him to feel at odds with Landon; he should be man enough to confront him about it. As much as it was burning him to do so, it wasn't the right time for it. Raf could pat himself on the back for such restraint; he didn't have the best track record.

Forcing a small smile on his face, Raf pretended to be amused. "Of course it wasn't. Both Saltzman twins having your attention?" The werewolf snorted. "Crazy stuff."

Landon grimaced, placing a hand on his chest. "You really know how to hurt a guy," he said as he tossed a pillow towards Rafael.

'_So do you._' Raf caught the pillow and tossed it back. In Landon's effort to catch it, he flopped on the floor. It made Raf genuinely laugh.

* * *

Raf was stronger than he thought he was. He managed to survive the morning without questioning Landon or blurting out the advancement in he and Hope's relationship. He was going to meet up with the tribrid later to hang out. Until then, Raf was going to go about his day with prepping for classes and being around his pack.

The day was going plain and well. Too well for Raf's paranoia. When it was all good and grand, something was bound to happen that caused some kind of drama—especially with the announcement of the Renaissance Dance to give a 'festive and sophisticated' vibe for the new term. Though, Hope hadn't sent him a message or gave him a signal that something was up. That meant it would be fine, right?

Nope.

Raf was making his way towards the fields to meet with some of the pack members when he bumped into MG. The vampire blinked in surprise when he looked at Rafael and he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Hey, um, Raf..." MG said looking anywhere but directly at the werewolf.

Rafael raised a brow skeptically and cleared his throat. "Uh, hey? You okay?"

"Don't worry. He's just feelin' a type of way cause he knows what's _worth it _around here," said a voice from behind.

Kaleb walked over to the other vampire, leaning on MG's shoulder with his elbow. He had a knowing expression on his face, and it clicked in Raf's mind what he was referring to.

He knew the day had gone too well.

Raf looked around quickly since enhanced hearing appeared to be an issue for this subject, and when the coast was clear he faced the two in front of him.

"So you guys heard that, huh?"

Kaleb shook his head. "Nah," he replied and nudged MG with his arm. "This guy heard it and literally ran into me afterward."

Panic seized Raf's body. He trusted MG and Kaleb, but he couldn't help it.

Kaleb must have read the panic because he held a hand with another head shake. "No worries, my man. No one's going to hear anything from us."

Relief replaced the panic, and he gave the vampires a nod. "Thanks," he said.

MG managed to relax through a smile, and Kaleb tilted his head slightly.

"Between us guys, I do have two questions." Kaleb held up one finger. "One, it happened during break didn't it." He held up a second finger. "Two, are you going to take her to the dance?"

"That first question was technically more of a statement," MG remarked.

"Whatever. Potato, potahto," Kaleb said waving his hand dismissively. He shifted his attention back to Rafael with a quirked brow. "Well?"

Raf felt the heat rushing up his neck to his cheeks; he didn't feel completely comfortable answering. This wasn't just a crush or longing for a girl anymore; he had the girl, and he wanted to hold onto her as long as he could. That meant respecting her just as he did as her friend, which included her privacy.

There was also the fact that the person he usually confided in for things like this was the last person who'd really want to hear about it right now.

His words from the day before rang in his ears; she was worth it. Some might say he's childish or stupid, but he felt stronger with Hope. The joy and serenity he felt just being around the tribrid—even if they were only friends—helped Raf know it to be true. He refused to turn it away; he silently prayed that he'd be forgiven in the long run.

Clasping his hands together with a deep breath, Rafael nodded towards the young vampires.

"Yes," he answered before nodding again with less hesitation, "and yes." After all, he couldn't just assume she'd be his date, and the werewolf would be lying to himself if he said he didn't want to see her dazzle in another dress or dance with her again.

Kaleb and MG shared a quick glance before they both looked at Rafael. Kaleb gave Raf an approving thumbs up and grin.

"My man," he said chucking.

MG's expression was soft but cautious. "Landon's cool, but so are you so...be careful, Raf."

Rubbing his hands one over the other, Raf's focus began to drift. "Yeah," he replied in a soft tone. "Thanks."

* * *

After the encounter with Kaleb and MG, Raf had moved on with the rest of his schedule for the day. He spent time with the pack and made sure it was known clearly that Jed was the Beta. Raf had things to figure out still, and despite the past hostility, Jed was one of the best werewolves to learn from. Rafael liked to believe he'd want to do right by the pack as well, and the other boy respected that.

The accomplishment made Raf feel good, and it was probably the boost he'd need if he wanted to ask Hope to the dance Renaissance Dance.

When he finds the brunette, she's sitting in the library and writing in a notebook; naturally, he made his way over to her and sat down next to her. Perching his elbows on the table and weaving his fingers together, Raf glanced curiously over at Hope's notebook.

"Whatcha working on?" he asked casually.

The tribrid hand paused over whatever she was writing and tilted her head to face his. She had a gleam in her eye, and her smile grew as their eyes lingered on one another's a moment longer.

As they did, she expertly closed the notebook without him noticing beforehand.

"Just some spells I needed for the new term," Hope said.

It sounded genuine and logical, and Raf knew better than to question it. "How's your day been overall?"

Hope shrugged lightly. "Surprisingly quiet," she replied. Then there was a more thoughtful expression on her face. "Well, other than the occasional sideways stare from Josie and MG if I passed by."

Hearing MG's name and knowing the reason he might have been staring at Hope—even if a _small _part of his wolf side wanted to feel possessive—Raf chuckled lightly to himself.

Hope quirked her brow playfully and suspiciously. "What?"

Rafael shook his head. "I mean, I couldn't blame either of them looking in your direction," he said, a soft smirk forming, "though we know why Josie might be." Raf sucked in a breath. "As for MG, that might be because he heard what I said."

Her brow was still raised, but it appeared less playful. Hope swallowed hard and nodded to herself. "Okay," she said. "So he knows."

"And Kaleb, though we kinda already knew that would happen." He recounted what Hope told him of Kaleb's thoughts from the day before.

She nodded absentmindedly once more and grabbed Rafael's hand. Just like that, his heart beat a little faster. He had to get a hold of himself if he was going to survive himself.

"It's okay," Hope said. "It'll be okay. We knew this would happen. I knew it."

Raf had an idea as to why she was reacting the way she was. She might be feeling the rebellion about her choices—hell, he was feeling everything about his choices—but feelings didn't disappear, no matter how deep they were. Going too fast would leave one unprepared; the apparent theme of his life.

Before he could make a complete—and idiotic—thought to suggest slowing things down, Hope squeezed his hand and stopped all thought processing.

"We can handle this. It shouldn't be this big a'deal; we're supernatural teens, not a soap opera."

Hope snorted at herself for her statement, and Raf could only watch her. He nearly backtracked so quickly with doubt, but this was proof he didn't have to, right?

He _really_ didn't want to.

Raf squeezed her hand back and offered her another smile. "We will handle this. Together."

Their eyes met again, and she smiled. "Together."

That moment could have lasted forever between Rafael and Hope; it felt like it had for Raf.

Hope broke contact first and shifted her gaze towards their adjoined hands. "There's something else we could be doing together too," she stated, grinning mischievously.

He pushed the hormonal side of his mind down with a bit of difficulty. "Oh really? What's that?"

Her only response was a laugh.

* * *

"I know discussing our first official date shouldn't be the last thing I thought you meant," Raf said as he leaned against the side of his bed, "but it's the last thing I thought you meant."

He leaned his head back and watched as Hope laughed once more on his bed. She laid on her side, leaning against her arm perched on his pillow.

Landon wasn't due back til much later, and she'd made sure to cast a privacy spell on a candle so there weren't any more accidental eavesdroppers. It was only him and Hope, and nothing else mattered.

"Let me guess, the first thing was a bit more physical?" Hope said.

Rafael grinned and scratched behind his ear. "Possibly."

Hope clicked her tongue. "Too bad. Now, back to that planning."

What Hope didn't know was that the werewolf had time before to think of dates when things were only 'what could have been' between them. "I don't have to plan. It should be a surprise."

Hope pursed her lips. "I'm not a big fan of surprises," she said.

Rafael shrugged cheekily. "You'll just have to trust me on this."

She hummed in response, tapping her chin. "I guess I can _attempt_."

"What's it gonna take for more than an attempt?"

"Come closer and find out."

Rafael didn't need to be told twice. He turned around swiftly, rolling to his side to match Hope's position on the bed. Memories of New Orleans flooded his mind, and he pushed his urges away until he felt her lips against his.

It was short, sweet, and amazing.

Hope pulled away, her thumb ran across his chin. "I think that helped," she whispered.

Suddenly, Rafael remembered what he meant to do when he saw Hope in the library. "I know what else will help," he said.

Hope pivoted to her back on the bedsheets and turned her head to his. "Oh?"

"Yes ma'am." Raf lifted himself up and looked down at the brunette underneath him. He took in her relaxed expression, the vulnerability she revealed. Not many were privileged to see this side of Hope, and Raf was honored to be among the few.

"Hope," he started to say, "will you be my date to the dance?"

Her smile was deep and bright when she brought a hand to his face and caressed his cheek. "Yes."

He couldn't help but grin widely; she laughed with an eye roll. The happiness he felt couldn't be said in words, so he leaned forward to kiss her and show her.

It would've happened if a voice didn't cut through the moment with a samurai sword.

"Oh...my god."

* * *

Word Count: 2600


End file.
